Going down to rising
by Princesse Sarah
Summary: After unsuccesful attempts to cheer Deidara up, Tobi accidently makes his sempai fall in waterfalls after a brief fight. Feeling guilty and in love, he travels to Konoha in order to bring back Sakura for her to save his partner. Warning: strong Yaoi.
1. Lost in thoughts, lost in falls

_Cough… cough_

Deidara stood against the door frame, his gaze unfocused. He didn't seem to intend walking in the room or go away. He was trapped in his reverie, his psychosomatic self seeming to drench his physical one. He'd been very quiet these days, and had even stopped working on his pottery for some time now. He didn't even respond to taunts anymore. He'd been lost in his thoughts ever since Sasori dana's death, and Tobi was now starting to feel worried for him.

_Cough_

Try as he might, he couldn't get his sempai to return to his cheerful self again. He had behaved like a good boy, but Deidara barely noticed. He had offered him to take a break and go for a picnic at the riverbank not so far away from the Akatsuki headquarters, but his sempai had barely shrugged at the idea. He had tried playing pranks on him, but Deidara never really responded.

"Deidara-sempai, Tobi's ever so sorry, but there seem to be soy sauce that accidently came out from Tobi's bottle and accidently onto sempai's cloack."

"Un…"

"Sempai, can sempai come tell Tobi again why sempai has tongues on his hand?"

"Un…"

"Sempai, why does sempai wear eye-liner and has long hair like a lady?"

"Un…"

Tobi really couldn't take it anymore. He wanted his sempai to consider Tobi as his new partner, but it seemed to Tobi that sempai's mind was always on sempai's old partner, and Tobi felt unloved and sad and alone. Why didn't sempai consider Tobi fit to work with sempai, like real team-mates?

_Cough_

And then sempai had started to stop coming for dinner with the rest of the members. This was the final straw.

Tobi stood up, abandoning his half empty bowl of rice, stomping off to sempai's and Tobi's room. He nearly slammed the door open, only to find Deidara-sempai already in bed, staring at the ceiling, ignoring his noisy entry… Tobi, determination flowing out of his very core, walked to sempai's bed and stood in front of him, arms crossed. Knowing he couldn't pretend he hadn't noticed his fellow anymore, Deidara heaved a deep sigh, slightly turning his gaze towards his direction.

_Cough_

"What is it, Tobi?" Deidara asked in a tired voice.

"Why hasn't sempai come to dinner tonight?" Tobi's voice was harsh and reminded Deidara of his late mother. He glared at him disapprovingly, not liking the tone of his voice one bit. Shifting himself into a sitting position and swinging his legs off the bed, the artist prepared himself for what looked like a painfully long conversation.

_Cough_

"What does that mean to you, un?"

"Tobi is sempai's partner, and partners look out for each other. But sempai wouldn't know that 'cause sempai doesn't care for Tobi at all. Tobi doesn't exist for sempai. Sempai only thinks about Sasori-dana and never wants to be with Tobi, whatever Tobi does."

Deidara looked like he had been thrown a bucket of ice cold water on the face. He had expected Tobi to tell him off for his lack of attention and sociability, but the fact that Tobi cared for him and realized he'd been missing Sasori came as a surprise, for he had never thought his new partner was able to work out this awkward situation all by himself. Angry with himself for having underestimated Tobi, Deidara threw a bitter comment back, without thinking.

_Cough…Cough_

"You can't understand what it's been like for me, Tobi. I wouldn't expect an ass like you to realize what losing a comrade feels like, because this death was all you've been waiting for, un. You don't care who gets hurt as long as there's a free place waiting for you in the Akatsuki, right? Sasori's death doesn't mean a damn to you, un. And you don't really care for me at all, do you, you filthy hypocrite?" Deidara had a mad glint in his eyes, and was panting from rage, now truly directed at Tobi. The latter had remained silent the whole time, turning gradually paler under his mask. When he spoke again, his voice was barely recognizable, cold and low, neither goofy nor annoying as it had once been.

_Cough_

"Tobi's leaving sempai for the night. Tobi will be sleeping outside until sempai comes back to reason."

With that, he walked straight towards the door, slowly pulling it shut. Deidara felt strange; he would've preferred him to slam it shut or to have yelled at him. Sighing again, he crept under his cover, willing to fall asleep quickly, but for some reason, guilt came from nowhere to prevent his slumber.

_Cough_

Tobi sat down on the side of the bridge, legs dangling over the cool water, alone at twilight.Tobi felt even sadder now that Tobi knew what sempai thought of Tobi. He pressed his forehead against the wooden banister, lost like his sempai was in thoughts. Deidara-sempai was right, Tobi has acted like a bad boy, not respecting sempai's grief and acting selfishly the whole while long. Tobi wanted to apologize, but would sempai even consider listening to him after what Tobi had done?

Tobi watched his distorted reflection in the stream. The current was strong because of a quite impressive waterfall not far away. It was a matter of minutes before another warped figure stared back at Tobi from the stream. Tobi gasped.

_Cough_

Standing behind him, his embarrassed sempai remained silent, first avoiding Tobi's eyes. Sempai then glimpsed several times at Tobi, waiting for him to stand up for them to talk, as equals. When Tobi finally stood up, Deidara cleared his throat and tried to focus on looking at Tobi straight in the face.

"Ehem… Tobi, you don't mind if we talk, do you, un?" Deidara's voice was unusually tense, and he was fidgeting with his hair. Tobi smiled inwardly; never had he seen his sempai look so out of control. He shook his head. "No, Tobi will talk with Deidara-sempai if sempai wants him to. Tobi is a good boy". Hope glittered in sempai's eyes.

"I wanted to…un… to say…I'm sorry for shouting at you, Tobi… You're right, as partners, we should stand up for one another. I underestimated you. I want to apologize, un." Deidara cursed himself for sounding so childish. He looked down at the bridge's wooden tiles, willing Tobi to say something fast. Those few seconds of silence were turning him insane. Tobi felt amazed by his sempai's reaction. He had expected a lecture about behaving and being a good boy.

_Cough…Cough_

"But Tobi shouted at his sempai!" he whined out.

"You were right to shout at me, Tobi." Deidara sighed and leaned against the banister. "You know, only the people who really care about you tells you stuff you don't want to hear, un. But in the end, you realize that they were only trying to help you." Deidara took a deap breath and mustered all the strength he had left in him. "And tonight, I realized you were trying to help me."

Tobi grinned. Unable to see his happiness behind the mask, Deidara didn't know what to expect. He waited for the slightest sign of outrage, friendliness or anger.

Without warning, Tobi threw himself on his Deidara-sempai, weeping. "Oh sempai!"

Deidara yelped in pain and alarm. He had hit the wooden banister and heard a creaking sound. This was not good. He knew that it wouldn't support the weight of both men, and wasn't surprised when it broke off completely. Deidara fell in the violent current, leaving Tobi on the bridge. He only had time to gasp for air before he was helplessly taken away it the rapid flow.

"TOBI, DO SOMETHING! QUICK, UN!!" Deidara was terrified. He wasn't such a good swimmer, and the rapids made him feel like a ragdoll. Tobi wasted no time and started sprinting on the riverbank alongside his unfortunate seimpa. "Don't worry, Deidara-sempai, Tobi will save you!"

Deidara crashed on a rock and fell unconscious. His lifeless body was almost immediately taken forward. Tobi gasped.

_Deidara-sempai is heading straight for the waterfalls!_

Tobi was now reaching his limit in speed, concentrating his chakra in his feet. Panting, he forced his muscles to work faster, faster still… But his sempai was already lost in the mist preceding the falls, and in next to no time, Tobi saw him drifting away, his palm plunging last, its mouth ajar and tongue drooping out.

"SEMPAI!" Tobi swiftly climbed down the rocks framing the waterfall, panicking. He ran back and forth 'round the lake, searching for the body. Suddenly, a mop of blond hair resurfaced, followed by a black cloak. Slowly, Deidara was drifting towards the bank, still out cold. Tobi hurried back to him and turned him face up. He gasped.

Deidara had blood trickling from his forehead and mouth, down to his chin. His skin was deadly pale, and his long blond locks spattered messily around his serene face. He was laying spread-eagled on his back, his Akatsuki cloak sprawled around him. Tobi couldn't help but think that he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

Tobi shook him softly, whispering near his ear. "Sempai, wake up… wake up…"

He shook him a little harder, raising his voice. "Sempai, c'mon, stop sleeping, you've got to wake up! Up! Up, sempai!"

Tobi was now positively rattling his sempai, sounding more and more like a hysteric. "Sempai! SEMPAI! SNAP OUT OF IT SEMPAI! C'MON! C'MON! ...c'mon…_c'mon_…"

Tobi broke into tears and let himself fall onto Deidara's chest. He felt how cold it was and started to sob. He laid his ear against it, and nearly fell back in surprise when he heard a soft _thump_. Cautiously, he pressed his ear again over his sempai's torso and was pleasantly surprised by a quiet, slow, but still present heartbeat.

_Thump… …. Thump… … Thump… … Thump… …_

Tobi cradled Deidara's head in his hands, but quickly noticed something wrong.

His sempai's heart was still beating, but his mouth and nostrils remained immobile and his chest wasn't raising the slightest.

He was still alive, but wasn't breathing anymore.

Alarmed, Tobi laid Deidara-sempai flat on the ground. He pushed his mask away and opened his sempai's mouth, bringing his head back, positioning his hands upon his sempai's chest and himself behind him. He took a deep breath, brought his lips over his sempai's, and softly blew. He then pushed firmly several times on Deidara's chest, and repeated the operation. After a few minutes, his sempai's started to take short incomes of breath, his sky-blue eyes fluttering open. He glanced weakly at his menace and savior, feeling himself pulled in and out of consciousness.

"Tobi… you prat… I'm gonna… gonna…"

_Cough…Cough_

Tobi grinned broadly.

Deidara-sempai was able to threaten him again. All was well.

_Cough_

A.N.: hello there! First story published in , thanks for reading it until the end 

Please read and review (I know, it sucks having to read this comment all the time, but take it as a plea for help from a young author).

N.B.: The _cough_ sound effects refer to Deidara.


	2. Add ilness to injury

Tobi carried Deidara back to headquarters in his arms, bride-like. His sempai's head was slightly lolling and his blond hair was swaying in rhythm. Tobi blushed slightly when he caught himself imagining his sempai was as a matter of fact a pretty, very pretty lady. _If he knew, sempai would slap me in the face and blow me up into space_.

Rain started to pour, lightly first, then hard enough to drench both partners more than they already were. The night's air felt icy on Tobi's skin, and he realized that his sempai was shivering against him. Deidara sneezed without waking up, squeezed himself onto Tobi and buried his head in the curve of his arm like a child against his mother. Tobi hurried along, trotting back to someplace warm for his sempai, his guilt and worry increasing.

When they finally arrived, Tobi first undressed Deidara and gave him a warm bath, before drying him, attending to his injuries and covering him in a set of clean clothes. He then put his sempai into bed and, after adding an extra-blanket, attended to himself. Once he was clean and dry, Tobi took a chair and settled at his sempai's bedside. He noticed that since their arrival, he hadn't stirred a bit. Thinking hard, Tobi came to the conclusion that his sempai's weariness was probably due to the lack of food, and went off to the kitchen to fetch a midnight snack for both of them. When he returned, Tobi was presented to a scene that nearly made him lose his grip on the tray he was holding.

Deidara was wheezing, coughing into his bloody palm, red drops sprinkled all over his chin and yukata. He fell back onto his pillow, chocking, eyes screwed shut in pain. Tobi hastily left the tray upon his bed and ran to his sempai. He placed his hand on the ill man's fore head and felt how hot he was. Deidara had a high fever, and his cheeks were starting to turn red. He trembled and coughed louder, more blood spilling from his mouth. Tobi lost no time and rushed to the small sink in a corner of the room, opened the cupboard under it and got out small towels and a bowl, which he filled with water. Dampening the towels, he proceeded to cool his sempai's forehead. Deidara calmed down, but his breathing remained ragged, sometimes sounding like small whimpers.

Tobi felt pain above endurance; his heart was crushed under the guilt of it all, and he started blaming himself like he never had before. Tobi was the reason of it all, Tobi acted like a bad boy, Tobi was the one responsible for Deidara-sempai suffering. A howl of rage and self-disgust escaped him, and for a moment Tobi forgot about rules of life in community (such as not screaming like a damned past midnight). Tobi heard groans coming from outside the room, a door opening and stomping. The door of their room was flung opened, and entered Konan, her face etched with fury and tiredness.

"TOBI! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT AB-" her scream was cut short once her eyes had fallen upon Deidara. She understood at once and went to stand behind Tobi, who hid his masked face behind his hands, crouching over his knees.

"Sempai got injured because of T-Tobi… Sempai f-fell over the b-bridge because of… And T-Tobi c-couldn't…" Konan squeezed Tobi's shoulder in a reassuring way.

"It was an accident, Tobi. Deidara was already ill before tonight. He asked us not to tell you because he didn't want you to worry." Tobi lifted his head and stared at Konan in puzzlement. She sighed heavily; _this is going to be tough_.

"Your sempai has been having this lung disease for a while now, and his state was getting worse day by day. I'm sure you noticed him coughing and resting a lot. It's been very hard for hard for him, 

especially with Sasori's death above it all… He's been depressed for a long time now… He can… He knows… Tobi, Deidara doesn't have a long time ahead…"

Tobi's eye widened in disbelief. This had to be a bad dream. It wasn't possible. His sempai was promised to an artistic death, to greatness, not dying in his bed like any average man. But then again, what could he achieve now, lying in bed, weaker than an infant. This was unfair…

_Cough-cough_

Konan and Tobi turned their heads towards the sickbed as one. Deidara had finally woken up and was watching his two comrades peacefully. He had become in the space of an evening a man who had nothing to lose. He tried to speak, but only managed to utter a few meaningless syllables. Konan fetched an extra pillow and slipped it under the blonde's back, positioning him in a sitting position for him to breathe better. Deidara tried to express his gratitude, but only managed to cough some more. His lips and chin were now crimson and contrasted with his pale face. Managing to settle down, he tried out speaking again, with a little more success.

"Tobi… _cough-cough_… I heard you… _Cough_… Don't…don't feel res-_cough_-responsible for this, un… I've been ready to kick…_Cough_… kick the bucket for quite…quite some time… un… I'm sorry…_Cough_… for not… not letting you…_Cough_…know…_Cough-cough_…"

"Tobi doesn't want sempai to… to go… Tobi will find a way for sempai to… to…" Tobi looked straight into his sempai's eyes. Their color was very calming, and he wore a cheerful, peaceful expression, almost unreal for a man this close to death.

Feeling the intimacy of it all, Konan discreetly left the room, allowing the pair to share a moment together…

Deidara rested limply against the pillows. The few sentences he had said had exhausted him, and he felt his eyelids droop down of their own accord. He feebly managed to swallow the rice and soup Tobi had brought him, but barely ate half of the portions. Unable to hold his spoon and chopsticks, Deidara resentfully let Tobi feed him, a task the latter secretly enjoyed. After wiping his sempai mout and chin (and thanking Buddha for the inability for him to complain), Tobi went back to his bed without a word. Curiosity getting the better of him, Deidara feebly turned his face towards his partner, discovering he was pulling the other bed against his own. Noticing his sempai raising his eyebrows, Tobi began to explain.

"Deidara-sempai's too weak to spend the night alone. Tobi is a good boy and Tobi will sleep next to his sempai in case sempai needs help."

Deidara huffed.

"There's no need to become so over-protective, Tobi, un…"

"Tobi is a good boy and Tobi won't let his partner down", the masked man replied stubbornly. Deidara said nothing.

Nobody had cared this much about him, not even Sasori-dana. Deidara wanted to put words on how much this meant to him, but found out he'd mysteriously lost his voice for the time being.

Tobi turned off the lights and started pulling his clothes off, only keeping his dark boxers on. Deidara tried to have a glimpse at his partner's now unmasked face, but couldn't manage to see anything in the dark. He rolled his eyes; Tobi was always very careful about hiding himself.

Tobi replaced the damp towel on Deidara's forehead with a new one, noticing how his sempai's fever had raised and how his breathing was ragged, once again.

"Tobi… Take off my… _Cough_…yukata…_Cough-cough_… please, un… Too…damn… hot…_Cough_…"

Tobi obeyed, carefully pulling off the garment off his sempai, leaving him in black underwear and bandages, brushing his soft white skin in process. Tobi's heart skipped a beat. Deidara lazily closed his eyes, blond hair falling upon his face. He reached out for Tobi's hand, searching for an escape route in his haze of pain. Tobi nervously rolled in his sempai's direction, catching him delicately in his arms. Deidara pressed his head upon the other man's chest, curling against him. Tobi placed a hand over his sempai heart, needing to feel the reassuring thumping noise over the pained breathing.

Deidara felt tears falling from his eyes, dropping upon his partner's torso. He hated himself for being so weak, for being as good as dead. Sensing his sempai's weariness, Tobi squeezed the ill man tighter, rubbing his back and kissing his forehead. Realizing what he'd just done, Tobi tensed his whole body, only to feel lips brushing the place between his head and neck, before they fell upon his own. He then sensed tongued palms sliding on his back, licking and nipping wherever they went. Suddenly, they slowed down and Tobi heard wheezing from his sempai. Turning a small lamp on, he realized that Deidara was clutching at his chest, suffocating. He went into a coughing fit again, and, without meaning to, let out a dry sob. He didn't care anymore whether or not he looked weak; all he knew was that he constantly felt an unbearable weight on his lungs and that he couldn't fight against it anymore.

Tobi tried to rub the pain away by massaging his sempai's breast. Deidara looked back at him and stood gob smacked.

Tobi's beautiful face, baring a single eye.

A sharingan.

Now was the last straw. The whole world collapsed on Deidara, who was left all alone in his suffering. The only person who cared belonged to this thrice damned clan, their cold red eyes watching him and his art in disdain, even in his sleep, considering him lower than dirt… He couldn't stand it, and gripped fistfuls of his hair in agony and defeat.

Tobi didn't understand straight away his sempai's sudden change of hearts. He then remembered that in the feeble glow of the lamp, his features were now visible. He gasped.

"Sempai, this-this is not what you think" he stammered. Deidara was burying his face in the covers, shaking his head in denial. This had to be a nightmare.

Heaving a deep sigh, Tobi gently took his sempai's face in his hand, and turned it slowly to face him. Tears were flowing freely from the blue orbs, sadness visible in their depth.

"Deidara-sempai, don't compare me with Itachi. I admire you, you know I do", croaked Tobi, his voice quite unrecognizable. He shifted uncomfortably, pondering how much of the truth he should tell his sempai. Watching those pleading, confused, beautiful sky-blue eyes, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Deidara-sempai…" Tobi slowly pulled the other man into a hug, handling him as if he was made of crystal. He smelled his lightly scented blond hair, gathering up courage. Deidara had placed his arms tightly around himself, like some sort of futile barrier. Tobi carried on anyway.

"I feel more than care and admiration for you…" Now Deidara's breathing was even more shallow, panic visible in his stare. What else was coming?

"Sempai, Tobi couldn't live without you… You've maybe protested a lot, but you've accepted Tobi as a team mate, and you have watched out for Tobi during missions. Other members would have let Tobi die and make it look like an accident." Deidara unfolded his arms and placed his hands around Tobi's back, softly.

"I'd never… _Cough_… let you…_Cough cough_…down, un…" Deidara's voice was tired and low. Tobi knew he was clinging to consciousness. However, he'd had enough excitement for tonight, and with a last kiss, Tobi rested his sempai back onto his cushions. Deidara sighed contently.

"You…_ Cough_… You were… saying…" Deidara's eyes were now half closed. Tobi felt his heartbeat getting more regular, yet still a little measured… _Sempai is falling asleep. _

Tobi leaned over to whisper in Deidara's ear, abandoning his childish tone for a deep, reassuring voice.

"I love you, Deidara."

Deidara faded away…


	3. Last Hurrah

Tobi woke up next morning, sun pouring down on his face, and on his sempai's. Deidara's hair was glittering gold, falling gracefully over his still closed eyes. His handsome features were stressed in ache, and he was shivering. Tobi put the back of his hand on his sempai's cheek; he was still burning. Blood had been spilled from his mouth during the night, a few drops pouring from his upper lip. Tobi's heart broke. He knew Deidara-sempai was a proud man and that he'd never let his sufferance show if he could help it. However, this wasn't a mere disease; Deidara was agonizing right here, right now, and nothing Tobi could do would help him.

Sighing, Tobi went to take a quick shower and hurried to the now full kitchen to bring back breakfast to his partner. Filling two bowls with rice and eggs, he heard sniggering behind him.

Hidan was watching him in glee, which coming from the immortal could only mean trouble.

"I heard the fucking taboo was over. How's the blond bitch doing?" Pein looked embarrassed, her cheeks blushing. Every other Akatsuki shifted uncomfortably in their seats; apparently Hidan's idea of a joke didn't have the attended effect.

"Oh, come on, shit! We all new Ladyboy wouldn't last long, and mind you, this whore will die of infection like she should!" Tobi put the tray on the kitchen table and walked silently towards Hidan, who was now positively laughing out loud, stopping only when Tobi had arrived in front of him. He sneered, looking up at the masked man.

"What's the matter, ass-hole? Afraid for your girlfriend? Mind you, I understand; I would've liked to have a fuck with her before risking catching a disease, not that I-"

Tobi hit Hidan in the face, concentrating all his chakra in his fist. The immortal had been thrown of his seat with the impact of the punch, his face now bloody. Kakuzu had ran to hold him back to prevent things from turning ugly; Hidan was already starting to scream a variety of well imagined insults at his assailant. Tobi calmly returned to pick up the tray he had prepared, adding two cups of tea, ignoring the other members gazes and gasps. Zetsu's eyes followed him out of the room.

Back into the room, Tobi was now trying to feed Deidara against his will. The latter's state seemed to have worsened: his skin was clammy, his face immaculate with sweat, his breathes turning into pants… He had shut his mouth closed and kept swinging his head feebly from one side to another, too tired to chew and swallow. Abandoning all hopes, Tobi tried instead to make him drink his tea, assisting him by cradling his head and placing the cup at his lips, carefully dipping its content in Deidara's now ajar mouth, leaving him time to swallow the small sips.

He hadn't given him a third of the contents when his sempai fell asleep in his arms. He laid him back on his pillows when he heard knocking. Without waiting for an answer, the person at the door entered and came at the side of the now attached beds.

"Zetsu-san?" Tobi was confused; never had the plant man shown any interest for him, or Deidara. Zetsu was watching Deidara thoughtfully. After a short moment, he turned his face towards Tobi.

"Tobi. Deidara has a serious case of pneumonia. Lung infection." Tobi nodded.

"Kakuzu has tried various types of remedies on him, but nothing had seemed to work. The bacteria have developed some kind of resistance." Zetsu's gaze was impassive and his tone monotonous. He appeared barely concerned. "However, there might be a way to cure him."

Tobi stood up and grabbed fistfuls of Zetsu's cloak. "Zetsu-san knows how to make sempai better?" the first man asked in a pleading tone. Zetsu coldly pushed Tobi off him.

"Are you ready to do anything to save your sempai?"

"Anything", replied Tobi immediately. Zetsu's lips curled a little.

"Tobi, after Sasori's death, elder Chiyo had been able to revive the jinchuriki's receptacle by using a spell. This spell, however, is a forbidden technique that uses the curer's vital energy to revive anyone, and anything. Chiyo was the only person to ever use this spell, but has used it in front of a Konoha kunoichi. We think she's been able to decipher its functioning; she's said to be very skilled, being Tsunade's student."

"So Tobi must …find the girl? But Tobi can't go all the way to Konoha and leave his sempai in this state!" Tobi whined.

"I'm willing to take care of him. Konan's okay with it too. But we have to put on a few rules: first, the girl mustn't know where she is, geographically speaking. Then, we might have to get rid of her under certain circumstances… Not if the first rule is strictly respected, of course."

Tobi hesitated: he wasn't keen on having to kill the person who would help him save his sempai, but then again this was a matter of life or death of the person he cared for above all.

"Tobi wants to set one thing straight: you will have to take care of her afterwards" Tobi finally stated after thinking the whole thing through.

"What do you mean?" Zetsu asked, perplexed.

"Tobi is going to learn the spell from the kunoichi to save Deidara-sempai."

Once again alone with his sempai, Tobi finished packing his rucksack. He sat onto the bed, sliding his mask away from his face. Deidara wasn't fast asleep anymore, but still a little groggy. The vision of Tobi's bare face brought him back to consciousness.

"Why…_Cough cough_... why are you… leaving… Tobi… _Cough_" Deidara's disappointment was evident in his question.

"Tobi is going to find someone to save sempai" Tobi answered in a quiet voice. It hurt to abandon his sempai for several days, but he knew some sacrifices were to be made in order to save his life. Deidara smiled, a smile that seemed to lighten up his whole face.

"Tobi, I …appreciate your help… but…_Cough_ … there's nothing… nothing you can do… to save…save me… _Cough cough_…"

"Tobi found a way… Tobi promises to save sempai…"

"Tobi… don't make promises you can't keep… _Cough cough_…" Deidara's voice had a harsh quality to it, but his gaze was as tender as could be. "But… if you must… if you go away… promise me… not to feel guilty… whatever… whatever happens… _Cough cough_…"

"Sempai…" Tobi leaned over Deidara, one leg on each side of him. He had taken his shirt off and was now pulling off the covers from Deidara. The blonde wrapped his arms around the young Uchiha, pulling him tight. Tobi closed the space between their lips and slowly slipped into Deidara's mouth. Their tongues rolled passionately while their gazes locked on each other. Tobi drowned himself in parcels of sky, while Deidara was lost in the enigma of the sharingan. The tongues on his palms were once again licking their way down Tobi's back, but couldn't slither under his pants. Tobi hurriedly unbuttoned them single-handedly before sliding his own hands upon Deidara's hip bones, which he grabbed before massaging the lower part his thumbs. Deidara started to pant, worrying Tobi in process.

"Sempai, are you sure…" Tobi started breathlessly.

"Tobi… if ever you stop… I swear… I'll make you… swallow ten pounds… of C4…" This meant business.

Deidara's hands were cupping Tobi's butt, rubbing it in small circles. Tobi took this as his cue, and positioned himself between his sempai's legs. He brought his fingers to the other man's mouth and let him suck his fingers hungrily. Deidara lapped and bit, his excitement visible. He groaned when Tobi retrieved his now saliva covered digits, expectance in his eyes. Tobi grinned mischievously before pointing two fingers at the blonde's entrance, carefully sliding through. Deidara gasped, throwing back his head. Tobi added a finger; his sempai whimpered. And another one; he gripped the young man's black hair. Tobi felt his mate growing hard against him; taking out his fingers, he carried the white legs to his hips and faced his partner.

"Ready, sempai?" he whispered.

"Ready as you are… un…"

Tobi thrust in, making his sempai slam his head back on the bed. Deidara felt as though his symptoms had intensified; they were becoming more sophisticated, more bearable. His ragged breathing had turned into moans and pants; his raw pain had transformed into a delicious torture; his fever had evolved to a pleasurably warm sensation in his very core. Tobi was not resting one bit: he rhythmically propelled himself into Deidara with all his might. He was drenched in his own sweat, near exhaustion, but still grinning down to his lover.

"Enjoying… yourself… Sempai….?" He asked in a breathless voice.

"Un… Tobi… You're so… damn… close…Un… un..." Deidara closed his eyes and tilted his head. He wasn't going to last long, and he knew it. Tobi gathered up his remaining strength and forced himself mercilessly into the tight and comfortable warmth of his partner. Deidara bucked up in a convulsive way, crying out loud.

"Un… Tobi… Tobi… TOBI… UN… UN… _TOBI!!_"

Deidara came, white sticky cum splattering onto Tobi's abdomen. The sight of the blonde screaming and nearly fainting was just what the black-haired needed to reach his own orgasm.

Heavenly exhausted. Tobi collapsed onto the already unconscious Deidara. His eyes closed lazily, and he shifted onto his sempai's side, turning the latter in order to hold him into a delicate hug. After a last soft kiss, he let his head fall lightly into golden locks, and allowed himself to doze off.

There will be a time to go… Now was the time to love.


	4. Revealing the retard

Birds in the sky were chirping, rays of sun shining through tree leaves. Tobi was hurrying down a path, returning to a place he had once called home.

Leaving Deidara had been tough; the Iwa-tsuki was still fast asleep, looking vulnerable and feeble, when Tobi had left the headquarters. He had kissed the blonde on his forehead and called for Konan to take care of him while his absence. Tobi knew he could count on her.

After a few days travelling, the masked man found himself in front of huge doors, bearing the leaf symbol. He sensed melancholy flooding his innards; memories rushed before his inner eye before he could stop them. He remembered friends, children games and exaggerated hopes; now only a strange kind of emptiness seemed to remain. Tobi's head fell against the walls surrounding the hidden village. He closed his eyes, and suddenly there was a golden light in the darkness. Deidara's cheerful face erupted from Tobi's loneliness… The Uchiha remembered why he had come.

Tobi stood straight, eye looking upwards, determined. _I know why I'm here. _

Tsunade shuffled some papers, looking grim. She had read a few dozen letters coming from both Konoha and foreign villages and checked piles of forms and statistic charts… Her head was stuffed with cotton, and she still hadn't finished half of her work. A break was in need.

Smirking to herself, she opened the bottom drawer of her imposing mahogany desk and pulled out a first aid kit, used as camouflage for her sake bottle. She was about to bring the neck of the bottle to her lips, when the doors of her office were flung open.

"Tsunade-sama! An intruder has been found trying to enter the village! We- what were you trying to do?" Shitzune's voice had turned harsh all of a sudden. Having here as a best friend was worse than having ten protective mothers at the same time: no drinking aloud, no bets, no more gambling machines ("you're a Hokage now, for heaven's sake!")… Tsunade felt like giving her technically subordinate assistant a piece of her mind, but lowered her eyes before the deeply disappointed face before her. Being drenched in spilt sake didn't help either.

Shitzune sighed before continuing in a would-be-warm tone, sensing her friend's guilt.

"A strange man, coming out from nowhere and visibly mentally disabled tried to force his way into the village. He claims he's lived here before and insists upon seeing…" Shitzune's eyes rolled to the side. Never in her had she felt involved in such a ludicrous tale. Tsunade's curiosity was aroused.

"Me?" she piped up. Shitzune shook her head. "Sakura Haruno".

This came as a slap in the face for the legendary ninja.

"What does she have to do with him?" she asked, still in state of shock.

"Apparently nothing. We asked her to come and tell us if she had ever seen this man, or even heard of him. She said she didn't. However, even though she's quite a formidable medical ninja, her reputation can't have become this important in such a short lapse of time."

"Hmmm…" Tsunade rested her chin upon her finger tips. This was serious. Seriously bad. "Sakura was my student, and is now part of Naruto's team. I don't think her personal fame is as much to claim as her connections'. This can only mean one thing. An infiltration plan to gain information about Naruto or me, using Sakura as a pawn. I privately think Naruto is the main target; the news of his growing strength and his successes during missions is starting to spread. Perhaps this is an Akatsuki attempt to capture the Jinchuriki." It all made sense.

Shitzune shifted uncomfortably before Tsunade's smug look.

"Tsunade-sama, the problem is… the guy's a total retard…"

_Oh. _Tsunade regained her dignity by trying out what worked best:

"DO YOU THINK I HAVE TIME TO SPEND ON RETARDS!! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, COMING HERE AND DISTURBING ME IN MY WORK! FUCK THE HELL OFF!!" Tsunade yelled mercilessly.

" Tsunade-sama!" squealed Shizune, dashing outside to seak refuge. Finally _en tête à tête _with her sake bottle,Tsunade heaved a great sigh.

_Works all the time._


	5. Foes and friends

Sakura began fidgeting in her chair

Sakura began fidgeting in her chair. This was ridiculous: interrupting her already busy enough day just because some kind of mentally disabled person (in other words, a maniac) had decided to waltz into Konoha to call for her. The whole thing was insane: the poor sod had even been chained to a chain, framed by two guards "for security measures" when Sakura was quite sure he wouldn't hurt a fly. She noticed, however, that the masked man seemed over-stressed; this was starting to worry her. He had been fighting against his chains since the very start and was now weeping miserably, like some dog leached to its kennel.

'Sakura… Haruno…Please…Tobi is a good boy…Tobi needs to talk to you…alone… Please…' Sakura couldn't stand it any longer. Maybe it was his childish tone or how pitiful this 'man' (it felt weird to call him this) sounded and looked, but she felt his pain and (how could it be?) was sharing it with him. She stood up and turned to face the guards.

'Please leave us alone.' Her tone left no place for refusal.

'I'm sorry, miss Haruno, but it's too risky.' Sakura's soft green eyes threw a hash gaze.

'If you consider a helpless, unarmed, disabled man a menace, it's a wonder you're a ninja.' The first guard blushed; 'you know, Hiruko, she's got a point', piped up his colleague. 'And', he added under his breath, 'think of it as an opportunity to interrogate him.'

After a short dispute about following rules, not leaving girls alone with strangers (which owned the security nin a slap on the face from Sakura, a very convincing argument) and formalities, both finally accepted to leave the room for Sakura to speak with Tobi (who had been thrashing the whole while long, stifling a few desperate sobs). Once the guards left, she moved her chair in front of Tobi and sat, a friendly smile on her face. Tobi stood quiet and fixed her, his mask hiding his hungry gaze. Sakura cleared her throat.

'It's Tobi, isn't it?' Tobi nodded.

'How do you know about me?' Tobi shifted uneasily on his seat. 'Tobi can't tell.' Sakura blinked; this answer confused her, but she decided to ignore it for the time being.

'Why did you want to see me?'

'Tobi's sempai is very ill, and Tobi wants to cure sempai. But Tobi needs to learn a secret technique from Sakura Haruno in order to do so.' Sakura feeling of intrigue increased. She knew she was remarkably skilled for her age, but it wasn't like she had invented any of the spells she used.

'Wouldn't you rather ask Tsunade-sama for help rather than me? She knows a lot more-'

'Tobi needs to learn a skill only Sakura Haruno can teach him', Tobi hurriedly said. _A skill only I could teach him? Surely there's a mistake…_

'And what would this skill be, Tobi?' It was hard to the hide her sceptic ness while talking to him.

'Tobi was told that Tobi fought against Sasori-dana with elder Chiyo, who had been able to bring Ichibi's receptacle back to life. Tobi knows Sakura Haruno is a talented medi-nin and was able to understand elder Chiyo's technique's procedures. Sakura Haruno must teach Tobi this technique.' Tobi hopefully gazed up at Sakura only to find that she had turned livid.

'Sasori-dana… your dana… receptacle… I see only one reason for you to use those words…'

In a rush, Tobi concentrated his chakra flow into his limbs and freed himself from the chains binding him. He caught Sakura by the arm and pulled her close enough to place his hand on her forehead, using a sleeping spell on her.

The security-nins heard sounds of struggle and dashed back into the room, only to find it empty, its window opened.

_Cough… Cough…_

Kakuzu placed a breathing monitor upon Deidara mouth and a few electrodes upon his chest while Konan tried to reduce the Iwa-tsuki's now peaking fever. Deidara laid against a mountain of pillows, moaning softly. He slowly opened his blue eyes and peered up at his two peers. Glancing at his now seemingly bloodless hands, he uttered a few unheard words… Kakuzu quickly took the breathing monitor off to hear what seemed to him as the gravely ill man's last words.

'What is it, Deidara?' Konan asked softly.

'If…if you are… both by my…my side… that means I… I'm dying…aren't I…un?' Konan blanched and stared pleadingly at Kakuzu… The medi-nin looked very uncomfortable.

'Deidara, were gonna try getting you out of this by putting you into a medically induced coma. Just for you to… rest at your ease… I only need to bring your transfusion here and we'll be all set.' Kakuzu wasn't gifted when it came to comforting anybody… He turned back to Konan, encouraging her without words to step forward.

'It's for your own good Deidara. Don't worry, we'll get you out of here. I promise', she whispered tearfully. Deidara smiled weakly.

'Don't… don't make… promises you… cannot… keep… un…' The bomber fainted with those words of advice. He coughed violently, spattering blood onto his sheets and himself. Konan thought she was going to be sick.

Inwardly she prayed for Tobi to come back soon with his miracle remedy…

Tobi speeded up into the very heart of the forests surrounding Konoha until he was sure he'd lost the group of ninja following him. He was carrying Sakura on his shoulders, feeling very tense. He'd never really learnt how to behave with ladies, and he tried his best not going _too _fast in order not to shake her too much. However, his sempai was waiting. Tobi blushed.

He remembered glittering long blonde hair, how it had pooled around his lover when Tobi had claimed him as his. Sky blue eyes gleaming up at him, a broad smile… Ivory skin…and soft too…

Tobi bounced hurriedly from branch to branch. This was not the time to be sluggish.

Tsunade sniffed. She felt her eyes watering. She had nearly hit the unfortunate guard who had brought the news of Sakura's kidnapping, had Shizune not interfered. She had now lost one of her most talented medi-nins. Her own student. She felt depressed, good for nothing. Maybe she wasn't made for this job after all…

'Tsunade-sama, Kakashi's team are on their way to search for Sakura.' Shizune watched Tsunade sadly… She had a feeling she knew what was going to come up next. She sighed. Tsunade hadn't looked up at her at all, reminding her of a small child who had been naughty. Well, she might as well get out of the room right now.

Tsunade, now all alone, opened her first aid kit and took out her sake bottle. She gazed at it for a few minutes, before violently throwing it at the wall in front of her.

Shizune had stayed next to the Hokage's office. The sudden crash she heard gave her quite a shock, but after calming down, she smiled, satisfied.

Tsunade had made the right decision after all.

Sakura stirred, feeling groggy. She was surprised to find herself inside a tent, covered by a large, dark cloak. She gasped. It bared dark red clouds. Akatsuki. Panicking, she tried to free herself silently from the cloak in order to escape. She felt astounded that her captor hadn't thought of binding her. _Then again, he's a retard…_

'Is Sakura Haruno hungry? Tobi has cooked ramen. Watch out, the bowl is hot.' Tobi had popped his head into the tent and was holding two bowls of delicious smelling noodles. Feeling her stomach growling, Sakura decided her attempt to escape could wait. She accepted her bowl without a word. Tobi handed her chopsticks. He hated this tense atmosphere and attempted a friendly conversation.

'When is Sakura Haruno gonna teach Tobi her technique?' Sakura scoffed. Nobody could be _that _dumb.

'Who says I still want to, after you've kidnapped me?' she spat. Tobi tried bravely to act tough.

'If you don't help Tobi, Tobi… err… Tobi… Tobi will tell it to his sempai!' he cried out victoriously. Sakura snorted.

'The same sempai who's half dead already?' Tobi gawked at her. She knew she had crossed the line now: Tobi was beginning to tremble with rage, and… broke down completely, sobbing.

'Why… why is everybody so m-mean to… to sempai?... Sempai di-didn't even want to-to join in… in the first p-place… And n-now… Deida-dara sem-sempai… is… is g-going to… to d-die and… T-Tobi will b-be all… all alone…' Tobi stammered. He let his face fall to the floor and started to wail. Sakura was at lost for anything to say or do. She gingerly patted Tobi on the back, trying to comfort him.

When she thought of it, Tobi had never used force against her; he had been extremely gentle and even sweet sometimes. He didn't even want her to use the reincarnation spell on his sempai, preferring to sacrify his own life to save the person he cared about._ That Deidara must be very lucky to have such a loving partner… Wait a second…_

'Tell me Tobi, is this Deidara-sempai of yours by any chance blond… with blue eyes... and perhaps a little… feminine?' Tobi gasped.

'Don't call sempai girlish! He'd blow you up if he knew! And you know Deidara-sempai?' Tobi had switched from despair to excitement faster than flashlights. 'Here, Tobi has a photo of him!'

Tobi took out a folded photograph from his pocket. You could see him bouncing up in an annoying manner next to his disgruntled sempai.

'How come Deidara looks so grumpy?' Sakura asked curiously.

'Tobi had hidden sempai's mascara that day, to play a joke on him!' Sakura giggled.

'Your sempai wears mascara?'

'Yeah, and he even has a hair-thingy to make it all straight!' Sakura had now fallen on her back, laughing out loud. 'He made Tobi's bed blow up when Tobi lost it.' Tobi sniggered, but his euphoria quickly transformed into depression.

'Tobi misses his sempai' he said in a small voice. 'Tobi doesn't want sempai to go away.' He sighed deeply, and was about to get out of the tent, when, all of a sudden, he stopped. He slowly turned back to face Sakura.

'Sakura Haruno…' he said slowly. 'Where do people go when they die?'

Sakura gulped. After a mere moment of hesitation, she decided to tell him the truth.

'I… I don't know, Tobi.' She whispered. Tobi groaned in deception and left the tent.

Sakura laid back and tried to sleep, pondering on how a criminal could also remain a kind-hearted man.

Sakura felt she had misjudged Tobi: he was anything but a retard. As a matter of fact, he seemed to be very gifted: he had understood the basis of the reincarnation technique in a jiffy and had done very well during his chakra controlling lessons. Sakura, though she'd never say it out loud, felt sorry he'd have to… pass away in order to succeed. He had become for her like a close friend: he was sensitive, fun to stay around, and a very good listener. They were walking peacefully along a small path when Tobi abruptly stopped.

'Tobi has got to put a blindfold on Sakura Haruno now. We are approaching Akatsuki headquarters and Tobi had been asked to stop Sakura-san from locating them precisely', Tobi said in a grave voice. Sakura nodded. 'Okay.'

Tobi tied a small black scarf around Sakura's eyes and took her hand. He was extremely vigilant when it came to warning Sakura of the variety of obstacles along their way. Sakura was not afraid: she had now learnt to trust Tobi completely. She walked aside of him through a small village, hearing sounds coming from everywhere: sellers and costumers, street fights and children playing. Sakura wondered why nobody reacted to the fact that she was blinded and taken away by a masked man. _Then again, this is the village where resides the Akatsuki, _ she thought dully.

A door opening. Whispers. Steps in their direction.

'Kakuzu and Konan are waiting for you, Tobi.'

'Thank you, Zetsu-san.'

Tobi untied the blindfold and Sakura took in her new surroundings. A dimly lit corridor with greyish walls and shabby wooden doors. Sakura turned to see the person with whom Tobi was talking. She squealed: monstrous looking as ever, Zetsu stood before her, his bi-coloured head cornered by a gigantic Venus fly trap, looking completely indifferent. Tobi towed Sakura forward impatiently. His strides were becoming so wide that she had to jog to keep up with him. Finally, he stopped in front of a door a the far end of the corridor. He stood in front of it for an instant, sucked in a deep breathe, and finally pushed it open. Sakura followed him in.

A pretty girl with dark blue hair smarting a white flower and a veiled man holding a thermometer stood besides a bed surrounded by electronic medical equipment. Lying on the bed was a handsome blonde she had once seen before, now ghostly pale and still as a statue. He wore a breathing monitor and had a perfusion on his left fore-arm. The only sound in the room was the soft beeping noise coming from the heart monitor, much to slow at the moment. The medi-nin standing next to the ill man stepped towards them, looking very tired.

'Tobi, Konan, Miss, I'm going have to ask you to leave the room. I have to wake Deidara up now.' Tobi, trembling slightly, looked as though he was either going to protest or faint. Konan steered him outside gently. Sakura tagged along.

They all waited silently outside, facing the floor. Seconds seemed like hours while waiting for Kakuzu to bring back Deidara. Questions, 'what if…' started to sprout into their minds. Finally, the door opened and the medi-nin came out.

'Tobi, Deidara wishes to speak to you.' Tobi walked soundlessly inside the room. Sakura made to follow him, but Konan caught her but the shoulder and shook her head.

'I think they need to be alone now.' Sakura understood, and went back to leaning against the opposite wall.

_Cough… cough-cough…_

Tobi felt afraid. This feeble coughing sound terrified him like nothing ever did before. He took of his mask to face his lover. The room's curtains were closed, and somehow the darkness comforted him, like the nervous animal he felt like. He knelt before the sickbed and kissed Deidara's forehead. The blonde's pale blue eyes rested on him, twinkling with joy.

'Tobi…_cough_… you're back… un…' wheezed Deidara. His golden hair was falling upon his chest majestically, reminding Tobi of an occidental fairy tail about a sleeping princess. After all those days spent away from his sempai, seeing him again was like being hit by the incarnation of beauty. Deidara's androgynous features were pleasures for Tobi's eyes, and he savoured them like a rare wine…

'Sempai…' Tobi crept under the sheets and slipped a hand below Deidara's shirt. He shivered at the touch of cold skin, but took his sempai in his arms nevertheless. He bent low to reach his love's lips, claiming them as his own. He received very little response; Deidara felt like a puppet against him. He tried to rub his skin, to keep him close in a tight hug, but the blonde still felt limp and icy. Tobi sensed tears falling down upon his cheeks. Deidara placed a shuddering hand upon Tobi's shoulder, coughing slightly, blood dribbling down his white cheeks.

'T-Tobi… I… I have t-to say… _cough…cough…_' Deidara's voice was deadly low, and Tobi had to approach his ear to his sempai's mouth.

'I… l-love…y-you… un…'

Deidara's head fell onto Tobi's shoulder, blood oozing down the latter's cloak from the artist's lips. The masked ninja stood inert. The beeps of the heart monitor were more and more spaced, and the blonde's breathing felt weaker and weaker upon his neck.

Tobi felt himself rattling all over… 'Deidara… Deidara-sempai… no… n-no…' Glassy blue eyes gazed up at him.

'SAKURAAAAAAA!! ANYBODY!! COME QUIIIICK!!' he screeched at the top of his lungs.


	6. Flashback

A/N: Flashback! Starts from before Deidara's birth till when he left Iwagakure. If you don't like them, don't read.

Manekineko was named after those good-fortune bringing little white cats, in hope that she'd be lucky in her life. _Fat chance._

Indeed, "fat" was the word, she thought miserably while contemplating her protruding belly. She felt a little kick inside her.

"You know I'm thinking of you, don't you?" she whispered to herself. _Kick._ "You don't like it when people think little of you?" _Kick._ Manekineko chuckled in spite of herself.

"With a personnality like yours, I bet you're a girl." She felt a stronger kick. The baby felt angry. _Why would that be?..._

Manekineko mused...

She remembered that handsome blond man who came from the Far West. She had tried with all her might to catch his attention, and had succeeded.In a haze of sake r

A few days had passed and she never got to see him again. She had figured out un utter horror that it was more than probable that she was now pregnant, and even though this little new inhabitatant had settled down within her, she had never felt more alone in her life.

Atrocious sufference she had been been noticed of, but never prepared for. An elder had came to assist her, soothing her. She felt the baby come out and wimpered in pain. After a few pushes, piercing shrieks told her she had made it. She passed out, exhausted. Half an hour later, she opened her eyes to find a little bundle laying on her chest.The baby was bounding, sucking its tiny little thumb. _Her tiny little thumb._ She had cute little blond whisps of hair, creamy skin and was now looking up at her mother in a curious way with her seemingly enormous sky blue eyes. "I'll call you Deidara," Manekineko whispered lovingly. The elder looked up, astonished. She had remained silent until now, taking in the beauty of the scene.

"But that's a girlish name!" she exclaimed, outraged.

"It suits her well." Manekineko didn't understand what the fuss was all about._ The woman's gone senile, probably._

"Her?... her...b-but..." Now Manekineko was getting angry. She felt in no mood to argue at all.

"I haven't chosen to have a child! I haven't chosen to meet a man who'd abandonned me on our fisrt night! I didn't get to choose anything in this damn life! The least I can have is the right to choose my child's name!" she shouted out, close to tears. The woman assisting her stepped back, terrified by this violent out burst. She started apologising fretfully. Manekineko caught her breathe and took a better hold on her baby. Deidara was now asleep against her breast. Yawning, she shifted slightly against her. _Oh..._

Manekineko stood gobsmacked, facing her little one, having now a better view.

Deidara was a he.

_Cough cough..._

Deidara had been working with his mother in their little farm all morning. He was now weezing in exhaustion. _This is bad, he isn't very endurant..._ Five years had passed and he hadn't strengthened much, unlike the other young boys his age. He was feeble and often fell sick. And seemed to have a breathing problem. That was about the last straw for Manekineko. She couldn't help it if the boy was useless. However, she could get rid of him...

Manekineko waited in a small, shabby tavern. If he didn't come... but there he was! A hardly shaved, greasy haired, scarred man had just entered the place, a disgruntled expression upon his face. He sat down in front of her, hardly looking at her in the eyes. He took out a little bottle of cheap sake from his dirty travelling cloak and took gulp from it. Whiping his mouth on the back of his hand, he finally turned her eyes on her.

"You wanted to discuss the prices..."he grunted. "It's three thousand ryos. Take it or leave it."

Manekineko sighed. "I'll take it." The man grinned toothily. "I'll pick him up at eight tommorow morning. He'd better be ready. I've got no time to waist."

Deidara felt confused. And worried. And tired. They'd been walking for hours now, this mean man and the group of children about his age, going God knows where. His mother had woke him up early and bathed him thouroughly before leaving him in the hands of this man, without even saying goodbye. The small children looked

miserable and unkept, and were steered like cattle towards their unknown destination. Deidara felt tears coming to his eyes, but didn't cry. Whenever any of them cried, the man mercilessly whipped them with his belt. And they cried no more.

The small party arrived at sunset in a big city, all of the children exhausted. They finally stopped in front of an imposing building bearing machrabeyas; it gave away an eerie aura: all the people around it seemed to walk in front of it without seeing it. It seemed to belong to a world of its own, and Deidara felt by instinct that he didn't want to belong to it. Entering through a small door, they were sent off to small grubby rooms bearing two rows of wooden beds. They were all served there a mean portion of rice and given a small, greyish yukata which served the purpose of an uniform. After a few hours rest, a few of them where called out by another man (who was a great deal cleaner than the last but not gentler in the least), including Deidara. They were all placed in separate rooms and coldly asked to wait quietly for the clients to come and to be obedient. Or else...

Deidara felt scared to death. He was gasping for air, feeling a painstaking pressure inside his chest. A man wearing expensive silk clothes slowly opened the door and walked inside before kneeling in front of Deidara. He was gazing at him hungrily, smiling in a deranged way.Deidara scrammbled away only to find that he had his back on the wall. The man leaned above him and started to comb the little blond's hair with his fingers, savoring their smell. His hands had started to slip under Deidara's clothes, coming down lower and lower, making his heart pound against his rib cage. Panicking, he tried to escape, but the man had now taken him upon his lap and begun kissing his neck. Deidara felt imprisonned, helpless, lost... He want out, he wanted out now. The man was all over him, he didn't understand why,he wanted his mommy...

Deidara was sobbing openly. It had taken an infinity before the peversed being left him alone. Tears flowing down his cheeks, he had understood that this was just the end of the beginning.

Tenshi Mori walked serenely back into his beloved village of Iwagakure, after a long mission abroad. His faithful servant and student, Hameda, had accompagnied him all along, craving for his sensei's constant teaching. He enjoyed the old man's company: his sensei was clever, open-minded and kind-hearted, deserving his name perfectly.Wondering aimlessly among the streets, they arrived without realizing it in front of the ill-reputated place were all perversions were offered, if you had enough money, that is. _They're right, _Hameda thought. _Everything can be bought in hell._

"Sensei, lets get away from here..." Hameda made it to steer Tenshi away from the repulsive building, but his sensei didn't budge. His eyes had fallen on a small blond child, breathing so raggedly and standing so limplessly that he had to lean on his broom to stay up. He slipped and fell on the floor, too tired to even try to get back on his feet. A man came out from a small door and kicked him hard in the ribs.

"Up, you useless lump! Get up! Now!" he yelled. The young boy laid immobile in the dust, too tired to move, protest or cry. His blue eyes were half opened and glassy. He didn't react at all to the pain Tenshi knew he felt (for blood was already leaking from his lips), which broke the old man's heart. He stepped forwards to meet the child's agressor. Hameda tried to stop him.

"Master, don't..."

"Leave it to me, Hameda" Tenshi answered firmly. He faced directly the filthy man in front of him, the look of disgust so evident upon his features that the poor bastard seemed to shrink in front of him. Tenshi took a deep breath, and quietly asked "How much for the boy?"

Both Hameda and the agressor looked back wide-eyed and mouth ajar in surprise.

After short negociations, Tenshi had Hameda carry Deidara upon his shoulder on the way back home. His house was located a short distance away from the center of the hidden village, for Tenshi had never been able to handle the hustle of a big town. The little blond hadn't moved a bit during their short journey, and Tenshi made a mental note to call his medical-nin friend Saito once they were home.

Finally arriving to a handsome house standing upon a hill and surrounded by blossoming cherry trees, Tenshi and Hameda were greeted by the plump, good-natured matron, Fubuki. In her glee of finding they had returned safe and sound, she hadn't noticed Deidara at all.

"Tenshi-sensei! Hameda! What took you so long? Dear, I was so worried! Whatever happened to you?" she squeaked, fussing over them. Tenshi sighed. Some things will never change...

"Oh, you know Fubiki, this and that..."

"And him..." Hameda added, carefully laying Deidara on the floor. Fubuki screamed.

"Dear God, Tenshi-sensei! Who... what..." For the first time since he'd met her, Tenshi found Fubuki at lost for words.

"Fubuki, please take care of the boy right now. I have to go and call Saito." With those words, he left her and Hameda to take care of Deidara.

After cleaning him up and clothing him, Fubuki put Deidara into bed and covered him with a light blanket. Deidara still hadn't stirred. Hameda felt it was time to break into explanation. He told her about the Cat House they had come upon while walking back home, how Tenshi had witnessed the boy being mistreated, and how he had bought him from his past owners. Fubuki hadn't said a word during Hameda's retelling of the the facts, which started to worry the latter. After a short while of silence, she stood up and went to fetch some food for Deidara. The boy was about six, but in no condition to feed himself. Fubuki figured out that it would be best to bottle-feed him, even though he was definitely too old for this. However, his physical state left her no choice. She craddle the small boy into her arms and fed him home-made berry juice. Deidara reacted at the contact of the bottle and started suckling hungrily. Fubuki wasn't surprised. The child was skin and bones. He slowed his pace after a few minutes, too tired to carry on. The matron frowned: he hadn't swallowed that much... He was curling up into a foetal position, shivering slightly. Slowly, he opened his eyes and started whimpering.

"P-please... no...no more..." he stammered. Fubuki didn't understand.

"Sweety, you barely finished-" Deidara hid himself under his covers and started howling.

"NO! NO! PLEASE NO! I'D DO ANYTHING!!" Hameda felt Deidara's forehead. The boy was burning up, and violently turned his head away from Hameda's head. _He's afraid of human contact, _he thought miserably.

The door flew opened. Right on cue, Tenshi had come back with the medi-nin Saito. The latter took in the sight of the trembling child and turned towards Tenshi and Hameda.

"You both, go out of the room. Fubuki, stay, he'll need the presence of a woman", he ordered.

Once he stood alone with Fubuki and Deidara, he applied a medical spell upon the small blond. "Take off his shirt" he told Fubuki. Deidara didn't react to the woman's touch. Fubuki gasped. His skin had turned, and she was able to see his chakra flow through it.

"His heart and lung flow isn't important enough" he noticed. "And it doesn't seem to be due to an illness. It's genetic. His chakra vows aren't very numerous in the whole area. That's a problem. Big problem..."

Tenshi gazed out of the window, focusing on a cherry tree flower. Saito had just come out to explain the boy's state. He felt depressed, without knowing why. He'd barely known the boy for a day and was already having fatherly feeling for him. He didn't understand.

Fubuki came out of the room. Saito had told him and Hameda not to enter the room yet in order not to distress Deidara. The matron stepped to face him.

"Deidara wants to meet you. He wishes to thank you for what you've done." Tenshi nodded and entered the young boy's room.

Deidara shifted uncomfortably. The presence of an older man still tensed him, no matter what. Tenshi sighed inwardly; he wanted to hold Deidara in a hug and tell him that he'd never let anyone hurt him ever again, but it was obvious that physical contact was out of order for the time being. He sat down in front of the blond's bed.

"My name is Tenshi Mori. I believe yours is Deidara, isn't it?" Deidara nodded. "How old are you?" Deidara showed him six fingers. "Oh, a big boy!" Tenshi chuckled, but stopped at the sight of Deidara's large, sad eyes. His pale blue eyes locked with Tenshi's black ones.

"Thank you for taking care of me, sensei. I'll make sure not to be a burden for you any longer. I'll leave tommorow morning." Tenshi blinked.

"A burden?" he croaked uncertainly. Tears had started to leak down Deidara's cheeks.

"Saito-san said I had a breathing problem... I'm too feeble to be of any use to you... Even my mommy didn't want to be bothered by me... And I'll finish by getting ill all the time... And then... then.." Deidara burried his face into his covers and sobbed. Tenshi felt his heart being torn apart at the very sight.

"Oh Deidara..." he whispered softly, at lost for anything to say. He saw a shooting star fall into the sky, through the window opposite him, and was stroke by inspiration.

"Deidara..." The small boy looked up, his eyes red and puffy. "Are you strong enough to walk out in the garden with me?" Deidara nodded. Tenshi led the way outside, Deidara following him hesitantly. When they were both outside, Tenshi turned his head to face the Heavens. Deidara curiously looked upwards too. And there it came. Another shooting star.

Deidara gasped.

Tenshi laughed at Deidara's amazement. "Do you like shooting stars, Deidara?"

"Oh, yes Tenshi-sensei!" the boy squealed happily.

"Why do you like them so much?"

"Hmmm... Because... because... they're pretty, yeah! Too bad they don't last long..." Tenshi smiled broadly.

"If you saw plenty of shooting stars every night, would you like them so much?" he asked. Deidara gave this idea a thought.

"Hmm... I guess not, sensei..." Tenshi shuffled Deidara's hair. Deidara nearly tried to move away, but decided to stay still.

"You see, Deidara, beauty resides into brieve, transient, intense phenomena... You are a shooting star, Deidara. You might not live long, but your beauty will make it all worthwhile." Deidara stared up at Tenshi. He wasn't sure he understood everything, so he kept on watching the sky for shooting stars.

Fifteen years had passed since Tenshi had greeted Deidara to his home. The young man had become like a son to him, a son he was very proud of. Intelligent, artistic and quite talented at mastering his chakra, Deidara had developped his own "long range" battle technique, being unable to use the "close combat" type. His esthetique explosives were reknowned in the whole village and his talents on battlefield had owned him quite a lot of respect from his fellow ninjas. Life seemed to be looking up at the young Iwagakure nin... Like his mother, he should've known it was all too good to last.

After a hard day of trainning in the nearbye woods, Deidara headed back home. He saw an Iwa nin running away from the house, his eyes narrowed in surprise, and he sped up the path leading up the hill. Panting, he flung the doors opened, and took in the sight before him in horror.

Blood stains on the wall. Hameda, Fubuki,... all slaughtered... Deidara ran to his sensei's room in panic, only to find it empty. He hurried to the garden, but stopped into his tracks. The door had been blasted.

One of the cherry trees was still burning. A huge hole scarred the earth along with several signs of explosions. Tenshi-sensei had put up a fight.

"Tenshi-sensei!" Deidara cried out. He hurd a gurgling, rasping noise. Tenshi was lying twenty feet away, deadly pale, his usely immaculate robes singed and torned.

Deidara dashed to him, hoping it wasn't too late...

"D-Deidara... y-you... you're s-safe..." Tenshi breathed out. Deidara gulped...

"Sensei... W-why, sensei?" Deidara stammered.

"Th-the Mori f-family h-has always... been feared... I'm afraid... this time... I haven't been... a-able... to... stop them..." Tenshi whispered. "Dei..." Deidara bent closer.

"Do you r-remember... the first day... we've met?" Deidara nodded.

"I have to... tell you... throughout... my life with you... You...you've been... like a son... my own... shooting star..." Tenshi smiled weakly, closing his eyes.

"Sensei..." Deidara stared at his immobile father in dispair... He felt rage he could not contain any longer bubbling up inside him. He ripped his Iwa-nin banner from his forehead and scratched it deeply with his kunai in rage.

Late that night, an enormous explosion was heard from the center of Iwagakure. The Cat house and many other buildings had been completely destroyed by its violent impact. A lean figure could be seen marching away from the village, without a trace of hesitation or regret.

A/N: a few translations:

Tenshi: angel

Mori: forest

Fubuki: snow storm


	7. Unwanted sacrifice

Sakura remained by Tobi's side, waiting apprehensively

Sakura remained by Tobi's side, waiting apprehensively. Both were standing in front of Deidara's inert body, contemplating him; it was strange how the peacefulness of his features contrasted with the presently tensed atmosphere. Taking in a deep breath, like a diver about to jump off the board, Tobi stepped forwards to his sempai's side. He lightly brushed his lover's cheek with the tip of his fingers. Sakura felt like the moment was maybe too intimate for her to stay, and tip-toed towards the door. Tobi turned back to her.

"Sakura", murmured Tobi. The kunoishi jumped in surprise.

"Wha-what is it, Tobi?" Sakura stuttered. Tobi's face had fallen.

"Tobi would like to ask Sakura Haruno one last thing." Sakura nodded.

"Anything you want, Tobi." Tobi looked up at her, and back down at Deidara.

"When Tobi is done, Tobi would like Sakura Haruno to tell his sempai one last thing for him" he said in a soft voice. He brushed a lock of blond hair from Deidara's face. "Tell Deidara-sempai that Tobi loves him very much, and that Tobi has no regrets whatsoever for what he has done… Because… because… Tobi can't think about living without Deidara-sempai…" Tobi sobbed. Sakura hurried towards him and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

"Tobi… I… I swear… everything is gonna be alright…" she whispered against him. Both pulled out of the hug with a sense of duty within them. Tobi placed his hands upon Deidara's now bare chest and started to concentrate hard upon focusing his chakra inside his hands. Meanwhile, Sakura stayed behind him, giving him instructions.

"This is going to be painful, Tobi. Whatever you do, don't remove your hands from Deidara."

"Okay."

Tobi's breathing was starting to get ragged: he felt his chakra flow getting stronger and stronger, and it was killing him. His palms were literally burning against Deidara, who had now started to shudder a little. He was making sharp movements with his heads and sucking in tiny breaths. Deidara started to whimper and Tobi felt his sempai's chest buck up. Sakura answered his unmentioned question.

"Your sempai is starting to breathe again, and it's very painful for him. I know it's hard to ignore, Tobi, but you've got to carry on." Tobi cursed inwardly. Suddenly he felt like he wasn't strong enough. Suddenly he felt everything he did was useless because he'll end up dead anyway without being able to save his beloved sempai. Suddenly he felt a strong grip on his arms; Deidara was holding him as tightly as he could. His sky-blue eyes had flown open and Tobi was astonished to find his beautiful features sketched with what looked like pure rage.

"To…bi… S-stop… Stop! Don't… don't do…this…" Deidara gritted his teeth in the effort of formulating a clear sentence.

"Don't listen to him, Tobi, he's delirious!" Sakura shouted out, afraid Tobi would let go.

Tobi felt sweat upon his skin. His head was spinning in the effort to maintain his current flow of chakra, and he knew he wouldn't last any longer now. However, Deidara-sempai was still holding him in a death-grip, pleading him to stop.

"T-Tobi, stop th-this madness right now, un!" Deidara begged.

"Tobi…will… save… his… sempai…" Tobi stammered.

"Tobi… Tobi… let go, un… let go… LET GO, TOBI!" Deidara howled with all his might.

Maybe it was the urgent tone of his sempai's voice, or simply the fact that Tobi was a good boy who never disobeyed his sempai, Tobi would never know. All he knew was that the pressure of it all had made him let go of Deidara. He fell on his knees before his still conscious lover, shallow breathes escaping him. Sakura made to heave him off the floor, but he angrily pushed her away. Sakura nervously looked back at him; Tobi had never been violent in the slightest way one could imagine. Seeing him now in a state of contained anger was terrifying, unreal… Still panting and now holding the bed for support, Tobi wheezed a few words without even looking at her.

"Sakura… leave the room… now…" This wasn't a plea, it was an order, and Sakura didn't need telling twice. She rushed out of the room, leaving both men alone. Tobi took off his mask as soon as she had shut the door close. His expression was livid as he faced Deidara.

"Explain why… why you refused my help… why… I WANT TO KNOW WHY!" he screamed. Right at this very moment, everything about Deidara annoyed him: his peaceful features, his knack of remaining cool even when he knew he was going to die, and most of all, _his thrice damned SMILE!_

Deidara showed no sign of outrage in the least for being shouted out; instead, he kept his Sphinx-like look that gave Tobi the urge to punch him. He shifted into a more comfortable position as well as he could: the fact that he hadn't been dead when Tobi had applied the spell on him had made it unnecessary for the masked-man to sacrifice his life in order to strengthen the artist up a bit, but he remained nevertheless quite feeble. Deidara looked up at Tobi's furious face, his smile faltering a bit.

"Tobi, you're still young. You shouldn't risk your life for the wreck of a man I have become, un." That was it: Deidara had crossed the line. Tobi started pulling his own hair in rage, losing all self-control:

"YOU IMPOSSIBLE BASTARD! CAN'T YOU SEE HOW MUCH I CARE FOR YOU? I WAS WILLING TO SACRIFICE MY LIFE TO SAVE YOU! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT MY LIFE ISN'T WORTH A SHIT IF YOU'RE NOT THERE, AND THAT I DON'T CARE KILLING MYSELF IF IT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA BE OKAY?!" Tobi broke down completely, falling on the floor, weeping. Deidara looked completely unimpressed.

"Manners, Tobi, or I'll have to ask you to stay away from Hidan, un. Anyway…" he sighed deeply. "What do you think my life's worth when you're not around?" Tobi sat up, aghast.

"Don't look at me like you'd just found out I have feelings for you, un!" Deidara spat, exasperated. _I swear the boy is getting denser by the minute, un._

Tobi put himself back together, still shocked by what he'd heard.

"So… Deidara-sempai… really…" Deidara rolled his eyes.

"Of course I love you, Tobi… I just found it hard to express, un… All the fooling around we've had together wasn't meaningless for me, you know…" Tobi blushed.

"It wasn't meaningless for Tobi, too…" the black-haired man said quietly, figetting with his fingers. Deidara reached for Tobi's cheek, and Tobi bent down to kiss him lovingly. A slow, everlasting kiss that seemed to entwine their very souls… Deidara felt purified by Tobi's childish innocence, and Tobi felt like Deidara-sempai bravery and strength had filled within him and that now nothing was impossible…

Deidara whispered in Tobi's ear. "Do you remember when I told you I didn't know where people went when they died?" Tobi nodded. "I want to discover death with you, un. However, I wish my death to be the greatest work of art ever, an explosion for the whole world to see and remember. However, art is also the expression of one's humanity, un… and I feel now that you… Tobi…" Tobi gasped. Did his sempai really mean what he thought he meant?

"Deidara-sempai wants Tobi… to be part of his masterpiece?" he stuttered uncertainly. Deidara kissed his neck softly.

"What's the matter, Tobi? First you're willing to sacrifice your life for me, then you don't want us to be united in death… are you scared?" he breathed out, blowing softly on the spot where head and neck connected. Tobi shivered.

"Tobi would be honoured to be part of Deidara-sempai's masterpiece… but Tobi wanted to live his love-life longer with sempai" he murmured bitterly… Deidara huffed.

"Tobi, haven't I taught you anything, un? Beauty resides in what is fleeting, transient..." Tobi grinned. Deidara-sempai and his ever-present principles…He hold him harder against his chest.

"Sempai is right. Tobi has a lot to learn from Deidara-sempai."

A/N: A big thanks to every one of you who had reviewed, you guys rock! I don't think I could've made it without your help, seriously… Every comment is like a ray of sunshine on my laptop… sob

So for those of you who wonder whether this is the end, the answer is no, still one chapter to go  so hold on (-; left-handed smiley

Yaoi and DeiTobi rock! (the author would like to point out that those sudden burst of insanity/euphoria aren't contagious and won't affect the rest of the story, so readers may sit back and relax while chapter 8 is written. Once again, God bless Yaoi)


	8. Fresh starts and dead ends

Tobi resentfully shut the door close, sighing

Tobi resentfully shut the door close, sighing. It had been most difficult to leave Deidara right now, after having spent so little time with him since his arrival. But he knew he owed Sakura an explanation. So, much to Deidara's (and Tobi's) disappointment, the masked man had to run off to find the young kunoichi. He found her further off the corridor, her eyes slightly red. Tobi instantly felt guilty; he hadn't intended on harming her in any way. At the sight of him, Sakura pushed herself against the wall, away from him. Tobi felt hurt, not because of her avoiding him, but because of his acknowledgement of his past actions intensity. He had acted like a bad boy, but now was about to make up for it. He knelt before her and took off his mask. Sakura gasped; a handsome, scarred young man faced her, his single eye gazing her sadly, though his features were graced by a small smile.

"Sakura… sit down, I'm going to explain everything…" Sakura slid down the wall so that she was now level with Tobi. She doubted there was anything to say; she knew Tobi belonged to Akatsuki and that his lover was a terrorist bomber. What was there more to add? Suddenly, she wasn't sure she could handle more of the truth. It scared her, in its cruel, dream-crushing way… She had never guessed that growing up and discovering the other side of the world was so hard. A tear escaped her eyes… It was gently brushed off her cheek by a pale hand.

"Hush, Sakura…" Tobi said in a big-brotherly way. "It isn't as bad as you think." Sakura recomposed herself and kept herself from lowering her head. She wanted to be strong, however hard it was…

Tobi took a deep breath.

"Sakura, what is a ninja?" The question was rhetorical, so Sakura remained silent. Tobi carried on.

"A ninja is a simple tool, used by his village, sometimes against his own will, in the sole purpose to accomplish a duty he has been given without the right to protest. In other words, ninja become barely human, scarifying themselves and their comrades only to accomplish a mission. They lose their critical sense of mind, their opinion fades away in a brainwash that starts as soon as they enter academy. Haven't you ever questioned any of the Ninja Major Rules?"

Sakura nodded. She remembered the day Sasuke had been gravely injured by Haku. How she had tried, with no success, to contain the unbearable sadness that filled her. How could she suppress her tears, when her friend was lying dead in front of her? Tobi carried on.

"Akatsuki's true goal isn't gaining raw power. Most of the members here have suffered from war, conflicts and cruelty. Deidara, for instance…" Tobi's voice lowered in pain for his lover. "He was betrayed by his own mother…" The unmasked man hid his face behind his hand before carrying on after a short instant.

"Only a war causing devastation beyond human imagination could finally make people realise the horror of violence. We aim destruction at its highest peak… in order to create a new world of harmony." Sakura gawked at Tobi in horror.

"I-isn't… isn't it a… a b-bit drastic?" she asked in a shaky voice. Tobi smirked knowingly.

"What if you added up all the unnecessary human pain and sufferance felt over a year or two? We only want to… make it linger less by intensifying it…" With that, Tobi stood up and turned away from her.

"Goodbye, Sakura Haruno."

Sakura watched him leave, aghast.

A huge clay bird roamed the sky, flying incredible fast. Atop of it sat two men in black cloaks adorned by red clouds. The orange-masked ninja turned towards his blond partner.

"Where to, sempai?" he asked curiously. Deidara grinned darkly.

"You'll see, un. There's a thing I'd like to finish."

Sakura sighed. She had been reprimanded harshly by her Hokage for an hour or so now… Since her exhausting trip back, she hadn't had time to return home or to have a decent meal. She didn't see what good a lecture about being too trusting and lowering one's attention could bring when she felt too light-headed to take anything in. Then again, better not get Tsunade-sama any angrier than she already was. Her slow, slooow torture came to a halt when Shizune entered the office with a message for the blond woman. Tsunade stopped shouting for a moment to check it out.

"What is it, Tsunade-sama?" asked Sakura, hoping to keep the older woman's mind away from telling her off for a while.

"Hmmm… rogue ninjas in Suna… a whole gang of S-classed ninjas attacking the country… Kazekage is calling out for back up…" Tsunade read the letter sent thoughtfully. Sakura chipped in.

"What help could our ninjas be? We hardly have any information about them! It'll be a suicide mission! A waste of blood!" the young girl cried out.

"Don't talk nonsense, girl! If we lye back and do nothing, Suna will cancel our right to use their energy sources!" Tsunade snapped back.

Sakura shut her mouth, gob smacked. _People for oil… Nothing more than lifeless instruments…_

Tsunade was surprised to see the young girl curtly dashing out of here office. She stood up and called after her.

"Sakura! Where are you going? I wasn't finished with you! SAKURA!"

The hidden village of Iwa was nearly insufferable to see, let alone to walk in. It held a strange aura of stench, vice and misery. The streets reeked. The people reeked. The very air Tobi was trying very hard not to breathe in reeked too. Small children laid dozing off half naked in the sun. Beggars crowded hopefully around Deidara and him, but the blond dismissed them coldly. Small puddles of grim water and urine pooled besides makeshift houses. The only proper buildings were located further ahead, in the centre of the city. Unbelievably wealthy people lived only a few steps across misery at its most atrocious form. Tobi shuddered. How could Deidara have managed to survive a year as a child in this hellhole?

Deidara stopped in a small artery leading to the village's main street. He eased out of his cloak and pulled his fishnet top off. He reached for the stitches adorning his chest, only to find a gloved hand stopping him. He looked up questioningly at Tobi.

"I want to do that, Sempai…" he whispered lovingly. Deidara sighed in relief.

Slowly, carefully, Tobi pulled out the thick black string holding the fourth mouth shut. Deidara panted in pain, but let him carry on.

"Nearly done, Sempai…" Tobi cooed.

Finally the chest mouth was unfastened, its large tongue already drooping out. Drool slivered down Deidara's abdomen. He watched it blankly. Tobi took his mask off and pulled his partner nearer. Deidara looked up at him, worry obvious in his eyes.

"Tobi… this is it. Are you sure-" Tobi silenced him with a finger on his mouth.

"Deidara… this is the moment you've been waiting for years. I know how important it is for you. I understand. I just want to share it with you." Deidara felt his eyes watering.

"You could contemplate it from far away… Live on…" Tobi hold the artist tighter against him.

"Tobi can't live on without you… Now that we're together, we'll remain together. In life…"- he gently kissed his sempai's lips -"or death. I love you."

Deidara nuzzled his head on Tobi's neck, sighing in relief. He pulled back ever so slightly only to reach his clay pouch better. He grasped a handful of clay and fed it without hesitation to his chest mouth. It swallowed it all in once, and Deidara felt his veins swelling with chakra. His eyes locked with Tobi's.

"I love you too, you incurable idiot, un…" he uttered quietly. Tobi answered by claiming his mouth. He felt a growing warmth coming from his sempai's heart, echoing their passion… It started to burn his chest, but he didn't care. He saw Deidara slowly turning black, two beady eyes glowing above his heart, his breathing shallow, but he didn't let go. He held tight to him… for dear death.

In a fraction of a second, a dazzling light blinded him. An ear-splitting bang deafened him. All turned white as he sunk in nothingness, and his life trailed before his eyes in slow-motion.

That was it.

Everything ten kilometres radius was obliterated, turned into empty space. Not a shred was left to see.

Miles around, people had been jolted by the might of a unusual shaped masterpiece they didn't understand. _Fools aren't touched by beauty, un…_

Sakura walked along the path leading into the forest. She had skilfully avoided anyone she knew, using her genjutsu. Her backpack ready, she had fled her life of semi-imprisonment within the hidden village of Konoha.

She smarted a now thoroughly slashed headband.

Above her, two angels smiled.

_THE END_

A/N: thank you for all your reviews, favs and alerts! You guys kick asses! Couldn't have made it without you all :-)

So, to answer a few questions, yes, I'm already preparing another TobiDei fic. It's all in my head, I only have to write it down. However, thanks to sadistic university grade rules, I still have two exams to prepare, so… a little patience, please!

Ciao (bows low, thanks again and hands out virtual cookies)

Sarah


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